


Birthday Boy

by MoonPuppy



Category: Highlander: The Series
Genre: M/M, Smarm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-29
Updated: 2014-11-29
Packaged: 2018-02-27 09:32:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2687801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonPuppy/pseuds/MoonPuppy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Who said it happens once a year?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Birthday Boy

**Author's Note:**

> Last updated 6/22/2001.
> 
> This is my holiday offering to all the incredibly loving, understanding, and gloriously insane women of the RSM. Happy whatever non-denominational holiday you wish to celebrate. 
> 
> ~o0o0o~ 
> 
> Disclaimer: The originals ain't mine, but the Methosmuse peering over my shoulder sure as hell is. So's the Duncanmuse. 
> 
> Warning: Smarm. PWP, but no real sex. This has got to be the sweetest, sappiest, sugar-dripping story I've ever written. I don't know how it happened.

"So, Adam, got any plans for New Year's Eve?" Joe inquired of the Immortal seated at his bar sipping a beer. 

Methos shook his head slightly. "Hadn't really thought of it." 

"Why?" Joe grinned. "Seen too many new years come in? Bored with it? What about celebrating the new millennium?" 

Methos shrugged, "Seen quite a few of those, too. One's pretty much the same as the other." He took a drink from his beer, then said, "Did I ever tell you about the time a group of us tried to convince the Emperor Hephaestus that the new year began in the middle of the summer?" 

Intrigued, Joe bit. "Why's that?" 

"Celebrating in the middle of the winter's bloody cold, Dawson. Think about it. Would you prefer to celebrate the new year in, say, June or July, instead of December?" He took another sip. "Much better weather." 

Joe snorted, having been drawn in by a tantalizing hint of a possible real Methos history line. "You're a cruel man, Adam." 

Methos merely grinned. "And you love me for it," was his only reply. 

~o0o0o~ 

"So, Joe," MacLeod said as he claimed a stool at the bar, "You having a blow-out for New Year's this year?" 

Joe placed a beer in front of his friend. "Nothing really special; a few party favors, some food, a good band, the usual. I figure it's the people who'll make the party special. You planning on coming?" 

"Wouldn't miss it for the world. You're one of my favorite people." Mac took a drink from the glass. "I always like to celebrate with my friends and family." 

"Heard anything from Amanda?" Joe inquired, an eyebrow cocked. 

Mac scowled. "Not since she took up with that cop friend of hers." He shook his head. "I still can't imagine Amanda paling around with a cop." 

Joe grinned. "Our little girl's grown up." 

Mac guffawed at Joe's comment, then asked, "What about Adam? Is he coming?" 

Joe scowled a moment. "You know, I asked him the same thing, and he gave me some run around about convincing some emperor to change New Year's to the middle of the   
summer." He shrugged. "That's the only answer I got out of him. Well, other than his usual "been there, done that" routine." 

"Something bothering him, you think?" 

"Not that I could tell. Hell, you know him, MacLeod. You couldn't tell his pants were on fire if he didn't want you to know about it." 

Mac paused a moment, visualizing that picture, then agreed, "You're right there." He scowled, thinking about his friend. "You know, maybe he doesn't realize that he's a friend, a part of what goes on around here." 

"What you mean is, he doesn't realize that he's been adopted into the MacLeod Clan," Joe teased. 

Duncan had the aplomb not to blush. "You said it, Joe, not me." He tensed as a wave of recognition washed over him, and saw Joe's eyes flick from him to the door. He turned and recognized the tall figure striding towards them. 

"Speak of the devil," Joe said quietly. 

"Joe!" MacLeod exclaimed, shocked at his friend's turn of phrase. 

"What?" Joe defended himself. 

"What, what?" Methos asked as he seated himself next to MacLeod. "Beer, Joe." 

"Nothing," Mac mumbled, burying his face in his beer glass. 

Methos looked from one man to another, shrugged, then asked, "So, Joseph, what's new?" 

Joe handed Methos his beer, "Nothing much. Just discussing the party on New Year's Eve. You know, you never said if you were coming or not." 

Methos took a sip of beer, then said, "I really doubt that, with the crowd that'll be here, you'll notice one way or the other if I'm here or not." 

"It's not that, Adam," Joe protested. 

"No, it's not that at all," Mac chimed in. "You're a friend, and we don't want you to be alone . . ." 

"Oh, you mean on this momentous occasion," Methos raised his hands and quoted around the word 'momentous'. "Please, MacLeod, I have quite literally been there and done that so many times, it's become boring. I was there for Y one K madness, Y zero K madness, Y minus one K madness. This is nothing new to me." He took a long, deep drink from his beer, saying nothing more. 

"So," Joe asked, "then what are your plans for New Year's Eve?" 

"The same thing I do every deep, dark, winter's night, Joe. I plan on curling up with a good book, with some good liquor, in front of a nice fire." 

"Aren't you even going to watch the ball drop?" Joe asked, referring to the New Year's Eve televised tradition. 

"I hadn't considered it, but I read that this year, somewhere in Michigan, they're having a frozen pike drop. I wouldn't mind seeing that." His eyes danced at he watched the look of disbelief travel from Joe to Mac. He hoped that would end their quest for his presence at their party. He had other plans - not for New Year's Eve, but for the next day. 

~o0o0o~ 

The party the night before had lasted until the wee hours of the morning, which is why it was nearly noon before MacLeod made his way over to Methos' apartment. He was still concerned about his friend's reticent behavior - it wasn't like Methos to turn down a party with free food and booze. He sensed Methos' buzz inside the apartment before he knocked on the door. 

The door was swung open wide, the grinning Immortal waving him in. "MacLeod, come in, come in. I was expecting you." 

Duncan entered the room, his curiosity about Methos' behavior only slightly surpassed by his curiosity about the apartment around him. The living room and kitchen were festooned with garlands and crepe paper. There were balloons floating on the ceiling, their long multicolored ribbons dangling in front of his face, creating a string maze for him to negotiate. There was confetti strewn about the room, noise makers on every table, and the piece-de-resistance, a 6-tiered cake, was on Methos' kitchen table, ablaze with light. 

Methos swept past him, into the kitchen. "You're just in time. Come on in, take off your coat, stay awhile," floated over Methos' shoulder at Duncan. 

Taking his coat off, Duncan tossed it on the couch, then followed Methos into the kitchen. "Just in time for what? What is all this Methos?" 

Methos came back around the table to put a party hat on Mac's head, then placed one on his own head. "Time for me to make a wish and blow out the candles," he said, exasperated. "You do know about birthdays, don't you MacLeod?" 

"Of course I do," Mac sputtered in his own defense, then gathered his wits. "Whose birthday is it, though?" 

"Mine, of course," Methos said simply as he moved around to the other side of the table, and leaned toward the cake. "Now I get to make a wish and blow out the candles. Ready?" 

Completely befuddled, Mac could only nod, then watch as Methos closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them and blew out the candles in one breath. He grinned up at his friend. "Now my wish will come true. D'you want some ice cream with your cake?" He asked, cutting into the bottom layer of the cake and placing a piece on a plate that rested on the table. 

"Methos," Mac said loudly, "What is all this?" He gestured in a circle, his arms held out wide. 

Methos put the plate back on the table, and moved over to MacLeod's side. "It's a birthday party, Mac. I realize that you may have stayed out late last night, but I'd think that Immortal healing would have you recovered from what you imbibed." 

"But," Mac protested as Methos once again, moved back to the table, "You didn't have a party last year." 

Methos handed the plate with the cake on it to MacLeod, then cut a piece for himself. "That's because it wasn't my birthday last year." He placed his piece of cake on his plate, then moved to the freezer. "Ice cream?" He asked again. 

"Yes, please," Mac answered mechanically. Not his birthday last year, but it is this year? "You only have birthdays on leap years?" 

Methos moved close and put a scoop of vanilla ice cream on Mac's plate, as well as a fork. "Don't be silly. Leap years happen too frequently. Go sit," he gestured with the ice cream scoop. "I'll join you in a moment." 

Duncan did as he was bid, sitting on the couch next to his coat. Methos came out of the kitchen minutes later, bearing a tray with his plate and two cups of coffee on it. "I always enjoy coffee with birthday cake, don't you Mac?" 

Mac nodded as he accepted a cup from Methos. He sipped at the dark brew and agreed that it tasted perfect next to the almost too-sweet flavor of the cake and ice cream. Both men were quiet for minutes, each enjoying their food. Finally, though, Mac had to ask, "Okay, I give, old man, what's the clue behind your birthday?" 

Methos grinned widely and said, "Go look at the cake." He went back to eating his piece until Mac returned. "Any help?" 

"You don't know exactly when your birthday is, so what better day than the first day of a new year," Mac said, thinking out loud. 

"And?" Methos prompted. 

"And, since you've lived so long, another year doesn't mean that much to you, so you only mark major milestones." 

"Bright boy," Methos smiled, glad he had this man as his friend to share this day with him. 

Mac set his plate down on the coffee table, moved over and took Methos' plate from him, placing it on the table next to his. "But because you only celebrate your birthday so infrequently," he continued in the same thoughtful tone, "you sometimes forget all of the birthday traditions." He pulled Methos to his feet. 

"If you're thinking about a birthday spanking, Highlander, you've got another think coming," Methos warned him. 

"No, not spankings old man, another tradition. Birthday kisses." Mac wrapped his arms around Methos and pulled him close. "Happy Birthday, Methos," he murmured as he first lightly pecked, then kissed the soft mouth that opened under his lips. 

Methos moaned as Mac's lips covered his own. He'd had to wait damn long for this, but he'd do it over again if he knew that this was waiting for him. 

Mac drew back just enough to say, "And let's not forget the song." 

Methos frowned. "Song? Don't tell me you're going to sing to me." 

Kissing Methos once again, Mac said, "It's tradition." He cleared his throat and sang quietly to the man in his arms, "Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Methos, Happy Six Thousandth Birthday to you." 

Methos sighed happily as MacLeod claimed his mouth once again. His birthday wish had come true. 

~fin~


End file.
